The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) announced on Friday that it regards its active participation in this year’s World Investor Week (WIW) 2024 as a “complete success.”

This global initiative is organised by the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).

With activities designed around two core themes—financial risks associated with online “finfluencers” and the role of parents in financial education—CySEC’s efforts received high praise, including positive recognition from IOSCO, which published CySEC’s guides on the official WIW website.

CySEC’s campaign, conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, targeted students, parents, and educators through school lectures across Cyprus.

Moreover, according to the announcement, CySEC distributed two detailed guides addressing online investment risks and tools to support financial education at home.

These guides contain vital information, cautions, and practical activities designed to promote financial awareness.

In addition, CySEC also made these guides available to parent associations, aiming for widespread distribution among students and families.

CySEC Chairman George Theocharides will also deliver a lecture at a university, with the commission saying that this will undesrcore the importance of early and continuous financial literacy.

What is more, Theocharides, congratulated the team responsible for designing and implementing the campaign’s actions.

“I thank the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth, the Confederation, and Federations of Parent Associations for their cooperation and interest in the financial education of children,” he stated.

“Our firm position is that financial education should start very early and continue throughout an individual’s life,” he added.

Theocharides also explained that “as market conditions constantly change, the rapid advancement of technology brings not only positives but also risks that everyone must be aware of to protect themselves”.

In addition to lectures, CySEC leaders took part in various media engagements, including television interviews, podcasts, and articles, aiming to broaden public understanding of financial literacy.

According to the commission’s internal figures, CySEC’s social media efforts were especially robust, with 54 posts on X (formerly Twitter), 56 on Facebook, 52 on LinkedIn, and 44 on Instagram, all of which amplified WIW’s messages to younger audiences.

A “Smart Investor Booklet,” encapsulating the week’s core insights, was also disseminated through these platforms.

CySEC officer Elena Karkoti, responsible for public financial education, said the programme of school lectures, organised with the Federations of Parent Associations, will continue until the end of November.

“We are very pleased with the interest shown by both schools and parent associations,” she said, noting that “most importantly, we are excited about the response from the children themselves”.

Karkoti pointed out that “the thematic areas we set for World Investor Week were praised as interesting and important by the audiences involved this year”.

“We are particularly satisfied with IOSCO’s initiative to prominently feature a link to the two Guides we published on the WIW 2024 website,” she added.

“We believe this is a significant recognition of the work we are doing for the financial education of the public,” Karkoti concluded.